Remove specific craft material is a step forward. I honestly don't mind farming craft material BUT when you factor that you have to seek out a specific monster that only spam in a specific area randomly and that have randomly chance of dropping, then you have problem. It should be guarantee drop or random drop from all monster from within an area.
BUT when you factor that you have to seek out a specific monster that only spam in a specific area randomly and that have randomly chance of dropping, then you have problem.
What about Keywardens? The only difference is that their spawn is guaranteed, which removes the excess game creation process(that and only that was a beneficial side effect of that bullshit 2.06 move imo). Still the same ingame-process as Aughilds. Plus the Keywardens are in much bigger zones. I'd rather scan a crypt for one of the famous robbers.
Competition with random monster density, affixes and maps...sure
They are tweaking that to make it competitive. It's not perfectly even yet, but getting there, I believe. The density is very much comparable already, and maps aren't as random anymore as they used to be (obviously related to maps). Affixes can be balanced and cancel out in the long run as you have to fight a large number of mobs anyways on your way to a 40+ Greater Rift.
Greater Rifts are not perfectly balanced at all yet, but the difference between two maps also isn't like 300% faster clearance anymore either.
I actually think it's fine if this is not "the best" for everything. Greater rifts give insane amounts of XP (probably more than stupid Malthael runs), unique loot with the gems, and e-peen with leaderboards. For gold you want to find Greed's Realm - which can't spawn in Greater Rifts, so there's a reason to do traditional rifts or farming keys or bounties. For max legendaries T6 runs might still be best. It would be awesome if T6 would give us different things to do: do I want to upgrade my amulet? Let me do keys/ubers. Do I want to farm blood shards, general items, and materials? Let me do T6 rifts. Do I want to get XP or a better legendary gem? Let me do Greater Rifts.
I hope they don't make Greater Rifts "the place to go". It's okay if there's a different spot for different goals.
I'd have to solidly second this statement. Greater and meaningful variety.
However I've taken into consideration the poor choice in naming this mode. "greater" would technically imply it's better, but it's not. It's different. Challenge Rift or what have you may be somewhat more appropriate and cause less misunderstanding.
Even if they aren't supposed to be the primary source of loot, the "rewards" at the end from completing it don't feel rewarding enough.
Then don't do them. They're for competition, not loot farming. If you want to farm more loot, do more 'profitable' things, and forget about Greater Rifts. Choices are good. Forcing everyone into one thing is bad.
Even you agree with this now (remember our Aughild debate?), that's nice to see. I already said back then that doing only rifts was not a good thing for the game.
Don't get me wrong, I simply think the old legendary crafting drops were a horrible way to "get people out doing things" because it just didn't work that way. They were segmented and disjointed and too far-reaching (applying to EVERY possible legendary craft). I'm OK with the Hellfire Amulet/Ring because it is a single reward. It's an entirely different challenge and not the cornerstone of the crafting system. And, most importantly, keywardens have a 100% spawn rate, meaning every single game you get a shot at the keys which is a far cry from the other crafting mats.
I will say that the old crafting system would have been a LOT more tolerable if doing bounties (or even just randomly farming in adventure mode) felt remotely comparable to rifts. And perhaps this is what you're hinting at, I'm not sure. But the reality is that rifts are so good that stopping to farm some ghosts for Aughild's pieces not only feels punitive... but almost counterproductive.
It's less so that I hate the idea of specific drops for crafting, I just think it was implemented in a manner that ultimately was more frustrating for players than meaningful and enjoyable. I definitely don't feel that way about the Hellfire Ring/Amulet (again, this is mostly due to the 100% spawn rate). I simply had a very big issue with monsters that only had a 20% chance to spawn then only having a 50% chance to drop an item. The crafting mats largely worked for Maghda, for example, but I think that farming Aughild's was a test in patience moreso than a good experience for most players. Hopefully Blizzard understands this difference.
Even if they aren't supposed to be the primary source of loot, the "rewards" at the end from completing it don't feel rewarding enough.
Then don't do them. They're for competition, not loot farming. If you want to farm more loot, do more 'profitable' things, and forget about Greater Rifts. Choices are good. Forcing everyone into one thing is bad.
You don't understand. I want to do them and I will do them. I just feel that the current loot drop isn't as rewarding as it should be. I'm not asking to spend minutes just picking up loot, just a little bit more would suffice (not enough to make them the primary source like I said). I'm not planning on farming them for loot nor am I suggesting that. Telling me not to do it is nonsensical and an insult to me.
Edit: and if you still feel that way, I'm sorry. We can just agree to disagree and move on.
Even you agree with this now (remember our Aughild debate?), that's nice to see. I already said back then that doing only rifts was not a good thing for the game.
Don't get me wrong, I simply think the old legendary crafting drops were a horrible way to "get people out doing things" because it just didn't work that way. They were segmented and disjointed and too far-reaching (applying to EVERY possible legendary craft). I'm OK with the Hellfire Amulet/Ring because it is a single reward. It's an entirely different challenge and not the cornerstone of the crafting system. And, most importantly, keywardens have a 100% spawn rate, meaning every single game you get a shot at the keys which is a far cry from the other crafting mats.
I will say that the old crafting system would have been a LOT more tolerable if doing bounties (or even just randomly farming in adventure mode) felt remotely comparable to rifts. And perhaps this is what you're hinting at, I'm not sure. But the reality is that rifts are so good that stopping to farm some ghosts for Aughild's pieces not only feels punitive... but almost counterproductive.
I suppose we agree on many aspects of the previous crafting system. Only you considered the negatives outweighing the positives and me the other way around. Especially Aughilds was super-easy imo. There were like 6-7 easy bounties plus some bonus ghosts in the areas of the two other most interesting sets (Crimson and Born).
Thinking of it, just making all those unique mobs a guaranteed spawn would have been a so much better temporary bandaid fix than just cutting it. But well, what's done is done.
Also, I agree that the maxim to "reduce time outside of rifts to a minimum" that was given as advice to many players lately, is a bad sign. They overbuffed rifts early in RoS when they spotted some players ignoring them.
Say you didn't care much about your ladder rank. Would it be worth it to clear greater rifts in a way that you don't skip any rift levels, in terms of experience and loot gained from them ?
Or, does the later rift levels give much more experience and loot compared to lower rift levels, making that approach pointless ?
Say you didn't care much about your ladder rank. Would it be worth it to clear greater rifts in a way that you don't skip any rift levels, in terms of experience and loot gained from them ?
Or, does the later rift levels give much more experience and loot compared to lower rift levels, making that approach pointless ?
Pretty sure mobs don't drop loot in GRifts. So no, you want to progress as quickly as possible if you want loot.
So what ppl wants is that the GRifts shall be the best xp gain/ loot and leggs way of this game and not settle with the huge e-hat you get for getting on a leaderboard no matter how long it took ?
http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Sol77-2972/hero/66110450
They are tweaking that to make it competitive. It's not perfectly even yet, but getting there, I believe. The density is very much comparable already, and maps aren't as random anymore as they used to be (obviously related to maps). Affixes can be balanced and cancel out in the long run as you have to fight a large number of mobs anyways on your way to a 40+ Greater Rift.
Greater Rifts are not perfectly balanced at all yet, but the difference between two maps also isn't like 300% faster clearance anymore either.
However I've taken into consideration the poor choice in naming this mode. "greater" would technically imply it's better, but it's not. It's different. Challenge Rift or what have you may be somewhat more appropriate and cause less misunderstanding.
I will say that the old crafting system would have been a LOT more tolerable if doing bounties (or even just randomly farming in adventure mode) felt remotely comparable to rifts. And perhaps this is what you're hinting at, I'm not sure. But the reality is that rifts are so good that stopping to farm some ghosts for Aughild's pieces not only feels punitive... but almost counterproductive.
It's less so that I hate the idea of specific drops for crafting, I just think it was implemented in a manner that ultimately was more frustrating for players than meaningful and enjoyable. I definitely don't feel that way about the Hellfire Ring/Amulet (again, this is mostly due to the 100% spawn rate). I simply had a very big issue with monsters that only had a 20% chance to spawn then only having a 50% chance to drop an item. The crafting mats largely worked for Maghda, for example, but I think that farming Aughild's was a test in patience moreso than a good experience for most players. Hopefully Blizzard understands this difference.
Edit: and if you still feel that way, I'm sorry. We can just agree to disagree and move on.
Thinking of it, just making all those unique mobs a guaranteed spawn would have been a so much better temporary bandaid fix than just cutting it. But well, what's done is done.
Also, I agree that the maxim to "reduce time outside of rifts to a minimum" that was given as advice to many players lately, is a bad sign. They overbuffed rifts early in RoS when they spotted some players ignoring them.
http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/profile/Sol77-2972/hero/66110450
Or, does the later rift levels give much more experience and loot compared to lower rift levels, making that approach pointless ?
When 2.1 actually drops, rates will drop back to current levels...
WD Season 8 https://www.diabloprogress.com/hero/finiar-1655/Kildare/84509816
Monk season 7 http://www.diabloprogress.com/hero/finiar-1655/MojoJoJo/42225505
DH season 6 http://www.diabloprogress.com/hero/finiar-1655/DeadShot/75655606
Angry Chicken http://www.diabloprogress.com/hero/finiar-1655/WhoDoVooDoo/68187610
What? Me worry?